Rant!
MeepoTheMighty said:
But if a store both fails to deliver excellent service AND has a higher price, then I see no reason why they shouldn't fail.
That's a snipped quote, but it sums up my feelings about my LGS completely. Since 3e came out up until December of 2002 I spent $1200 US on d20 product alone. Let's not forget Warhammer, paints, other minis, a few chainmail box sets, Warlord TCG, dice, etc. ad naseum. In the 2 years that d20 had been out I dropped full price for everything I bought from my LGS and sepnt over two grand for gaming stuff. Normally i would not mind. George is a nice owner. I like him personally. I hang out there just to visit with him. Now, flashback to May of 2002. I have been letting George know from day one I have wanted the Farscape d20 RPG. It's only one book. I even give him updates as AEG releases expected date after expected date... Not George's fault the darn book is delayed time and again. But, I've talked to him about it quite a bit, he's getting the book too as he is a fan of the show etc. He forgets to order it when it comes out. My book goes on "backorder" with the distributor. I know who his distributor is, and it seems other people are getting it around here etc. but hey, I give him the benefit of the doubt. So one day I am at the LGS, picking up a couple of items. I ask about the Farscape book while I'm checking out and George says, "Oh, you didn't get one?" I of course do not, why would I ask... "We got those in last week, I got one, and one sold while I was out of the store, I assumed you picked it up." Oh, of course, I mean no one else would dare buy my book that you never called me about and set on the new arrivals shelf, now would they? "Well, we should have one left, let me check." Sure enough, still on the new arrival shelf
behind two other books is the very last Farscape book in this town. Needless to say, I am a little miffed that not only did I get the book about 2 months late, even having asked George to get it in ASAP, but I almost don't even get it then. Still, everyone makes a mistake and I am willing to overlook this one. Now, still in the past, but flash forward to December.
I am just getting into Scarred Lands at this time. Rabidly at that. I want to order the SL Campaign Setting Ghelspad book. I drop in George's place, he says he's placing an order soon, I'll get the book Friday if I want to come in and pick it up. He asks for the name again, but he goes over to the register and writes it down on a sheet of
scrap paper. Already I have visions of not getting my book. Sure enough, come friday I go in and 'lo, George says he has my book probably in one of the boxes he is going through. He digs around a bit and he pulls out... wait for it... Ravenloft. I say nope, wrong book, you wrote down SL CS Ghelspad, I saw you. He apologizes, forgot he wrote it down, proceeds to pull out a formal special order slip from a folder and asks for the name again. Then, and get this, this is important, I pay full price, I expect full service with little hassle: He asks me for the ISBN. I don't know the ISBN is my reply. He says, "go home, look it up on the internet and call me. That way I know exactly what you want." Oh, is my surprised and shocked reply. So now, let me get this straight, not only am I a regular customer (the best kind) I occasionally get a windfall (tax return, christmas money etc.) and blow most of it in your store, I pay FULL price and Texas' outrageous sales tax (we don't have a state income tax, it is all generated through sales tax) and now I get to do ALL of the legwork for you. No thanks. I walked right across the street to the local Hastings Books Music an Video store, told the lady at the book counter what I wanted, she said they'd get it in 2 weeks and I'd get a 20% discount on it. Guess what? I don;t waste my money at George's store anymore. When I have been a great customer for a long time and only bothered you twice for a special order and you have screwed both of them up and then asked ME to fix it, I shop somewhere else.
Derek, I understand your situation. Truly I do. If it wasn't a 4 and a half hour drive to your store, I'd probably shop there. If Texas didn't have this stupid over 8% sales tax, I'd probably order from you. As it stands now, I am ordering from places outside of Texas or from the local Big Chain Bookstore, Hastings, to at least support a local group of workers. Going to talk to them about a gaming bulletin board or something as well so folks can find games, etc. I really struggled with this issue. I want to support local gaming, but this is outrageous. Full price = full service. Sorry for the rant, but I wanted to add to Meepo's quote and just show Derek (who I happen to like actually) that sometimes people try to support an LGS, but the frelling owner screws it up. Thank you, good night. /Rant
